why do we die?

Leo Schalkwyk (schalkwy at callisto.lif.icnet.uk) wrote:
: Ron Grunwald gave a good answer (mostly deleted), but there's another
: point he didn't emphasise, which is that single celled organisms that re-
: produce by dividing, don't senesce and die. Is there then some reason
: for it which is particular to the multicellular way of life?
Sean replied,
actually I was under the impression that they do
die. I understand that the life span is about 40 generations.
Cancer can reproduce indefinetly but many other single cell
populations eventually die out. I know there are exceptions.
...and your just screaming then all the single cell organisms
would be dead by now. This is true. ..but...I also
know that the 40 generation thing applies...wish I could
remember more.